Japan Tour - Sega Sammy Cup - 5th-8th July 2012

[jimmywomble]

Hi all

The Japan Tour heads north to The North Country Golf Club for the Sega Sammy Cup. This will be the 8th visit here and defending champ is Kyung-Tae Kim.

I have 3 thoughts at shorter odds & a couple at longer odds. First thought then is Ryo Ishikawa who has struggled a little this year but has a good record here with 3rd in 08, 10th, 28th & 2nd last year. One of three to average under 70, and has 12 from 16 rounds under par which is only beaten by one of my longer odds thoughts. Has yet to break the top 10 on this tour though in 5 events, has mainly been playing in the US & was 9th at the Memorial, 38th at the St Jude but then missed the cut at the US Open & Travelers his last two events.

Next up is Toru Taniguchi who also has a good record here, and has also grabbed a win this season. He started here 10th, winner in 07, 10th, 3rd, MC, 13th, so 4 top tens in 6 visits, guess which year I backed him previously, yep the missed cut. Has 15 under par rounds which tops the field, at 68% which beats most, few beat his 70.45 average round. Won the Cupnoodle Cup, their PGA Championship, then went 10th, 13th, 35th, MC, & 2nd in the last event. The MC can be dismissed as well as that was at the US Open.

Final thought and that is another of the faves, and defending champ, Kyung-Tae Kim. Before his win he was also 4th in 10 & 29th in 09, missing the cut by a shot on debut in 08. Leads the field for average round with 69.64, and has 9 or 64% of rounds under par. 44th, MC & 67th at the last 3 events in the US, but was 5th on his last visit to this tour.

At longer odds the first thought is Mamo Osanai who won the event in 2007 & has 4 more top tens. Did miss the cut in 09 & was 15th in the first year of the event in 05. Has 14 rounds under par or 54%. Form is the issue withdrawing in the last event and missing 3 of the 4 cuts prior to that with a 17th as the other result. Did open the season with a 3rd though.

If I said Fiji I’m sure many would say Vijay Singh, the other Fijian though is Dinesh Chand, and he has a good record here with 3 top 10’s in 4 visits and also averages under 70. Has 13 under par rounds which tops the field at 81%, indeed is the best record here full stop. However form is very poor, last year played 3 events and missed the cut in 2 & withdrew from the other, whilst this year he has missed the cut in 6 of 7 events, and was disqualified in the other. Even at 200-1 I will avoid then.

I think I will go with Ishikawa though as a good record here will hopefully mean he can bring out his good form which has been showing on occasion in the US with a 9th & 2nd in Puerto Rico earlier in the year.


Cheers

Jimmy
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[mercer]

Prayad Marksaeng 40/1 E/W

Japan tour is always tough to predict and not sure if i have every picked a winner on tour but often get a place but will still stick with this tour Thailand player Prayad Marksaeng is a very good player and often does well without winning but the way he has been playing this season on tour i am sure a win is not far away Played six events and missed two cuts but made the top25 in the other four so very consistent when making the cut and has two top 10 placings Came tied sixth last season so hoping he can do well again and looks value for a place based on form of late "